About this course

The purpose of BTEC Higher National Certificate in Construction & Built Environment (Civil Engineering) is to develop you as professional, self-reflecting individual able to meet the demands of employers in the civil engineering and construction sector and adapt to a constantly changing world.

The objectives of the BTEC Higher National Certificate in Construction & Built Environment (Civil Engineering) are as follows:

To equip students with construction and the built environment skills, knowledge and the understanding necessary to achieve high performance in the global construction and the built environment sector.

To equip you with construction and the built environment skills, knowledge and the understanding necessary to achieve high performance in the global construction and the built environment sector.

To provide you with education and training for a range of careers in construction and the built environment, including civil engineering, building services engineering, quantity surveying, construction management, and architectural technology.

To provide you with an understanding of the way technologies are transforming the industries of construction and the built environment and prepare them to work with these technologies.

To support you to understand the local, regional and global context of construction and the built environment.

To provide you with opportunities to address contemporary issues facing the industry, and society at large; with emphasis on sustainability and the environment, recognising the role that construction and the built environment plays in addressing these issues.

To provide you with the context in which to consider professional ethics and their relation to personal, professional and statutory responsibilities within the industry.

Assessment

You will benefit from an innovative variety of assessment modes. Assessment is mainly via coursework, which can take forms such as traditional essays and reports, individual and group project work, research and consultancy projects, presentations, posters, and design of digital materials.

Teaching and Learning

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will be attending on Saturdays. You will be taught by experienced lecturers whose knowledge and expertise are matched to the content of the modules on the course.

When not attending lectures or seminars, you will also be expected to study through independent learning. Independent learning plays a vital role in your studies and involves research, such as reading books and journal articles, preparing assignments and presentations, working on individual and group projects. You will have access to a variety of materials to support you in your learning, such as books, journals, lecture notes and a wide range of e-resources.

During one term, you will typically be attending four modules of 15 credits each. A taught 15 credit module consists of approximately 10 hours of Lecture content, 20 hours of seminar content and assessment practice. On top of this, you will be expected to spend around 10 – 15 hours per week on independent learning and completing assessments.

Course Entry Requirements

You will be expected to have at least one of the following:

A BTEC Level 3 qualification in Construction and The Built Environment

A GCE Advanced Level profile that demonstrates strong performance in a relevant subject or adequate performance in more than one GCE subject.

Other related Level 3 qualifications

An Access to Higher Education Certificate awarded by a recognised institution

An international equivalent of the above

Related work experience

Plus you will usually have five GCSE subjects including Maths and English Language at grade C or above is strongly recommended. We will normally accept Key Skills and Higher Diploma qualifications as the equivalent to GCSEs.

What if I don’t meet any of these entry requirements?

Even if you have few or no formal qualifications, you may be able to gain entry to the course if you have the required communication and learning skills, as well as the knowledge, experience and motivation to succeed.

You will be required to take and English and/or Mathematics skills test if you do not hold GCSE Maths and English qualifications or their recognised equivalent. You may also be interviewed for the course.

You may need to take an Access course or Foundation (Year 0) course first. If you have been away from academic study for a while, these courses are a great way to get you back into studying. Or if you have never studied before, they help you learn new study skills, essential for success in higher education.

Careers and employability

BTEC Higher National Certificates are well-established and internationally recognised qualifications offering graduates progression directly to employment. This course will prepare you for a range of construction and civil engineering jobs, such as:

Assistant Design Co-ordinator

Design & Build Co-ordinator

Construction Site Supervisor

Construction Design Technician

Site Manager

Project Manager

Health & Safety Manager

Planning Supervisor Site Engineering Technician

Structural Engineering Design

Civil Engineering Design

Transport Engineering Design

You can also study further for a BTEC Higher National Diploma in Construction & Built Environment (Civil Engineering).

Professional Recognition

The following is an indication of relevant professional bodies that recognise BTEC Higher Nationals in Construction and the Built Environment (Civil Engineering) and their recommended unit structure, as qualifications that contribute towards their requirements:

Institution of Civil Engineers

Institution of Structural Engineers

Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

Chartered Institute of Building

Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists

Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers

Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating and Engineers

With their agreement we have secured exemptions from certain memberships for students achieving BTEC Higher National qualifications in Construction & Built Environment (Civil Engineering). This adds value to the qualification by offering students access to Continuing Professional Development.

What you will cover

You will study these modules:

Year 1

UNIT CODE

UNIT NAME

UNIT LEVEL

UNIT CREDIT

HNCB 1

Individual Project

4

15

HNCB 18

Civil Engineering Technology

4

15

HNCB 2

Construction Technology

4

15

HNCB 20

Principles of Structural Design

4

15

HNCB 3

Science and Materials

4

15

HNCB 4

Construction Practice and Management

4

15

HNCB 6

Construction Information (Drawing, Detailing, Specification)

4

15

HNCB 8

Mathematics for Construction

4

15

Online Application & Eligibility Assessment

Note: Please scan your supporting documents,
such as a photo, passport, visa, qualifications, references etc before starting
the application form. You will also need access to your e-mail.

Eligible Undergraduate students can apply for a tuition fee loan of up to £6,165 to cover the full cost of their annual tuition fees. A maintenance loan (for living costs) of up to £11,354 is also available. This can be used to pay for general living costs, accommodation, travel and other course related costs.

Part-time study
If you are a part-time student on a degree course you can apply for a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan. The maximum tuition fee loan you can get if you are a part-time student is £4,625 per year. The amount you get depends on the cost of your tuition fees. Your maintenance loan will be paid at pro-rata of full time study. The amount you get depends on your household income.

Repaying loans
You will not start repaying your student loans for fees and living costs until you have finished studying and you are earning over £25,000 a year. For more information visit the Direct Gov website https:// www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

Other Sources of Funding
You do not have to apply for a tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company to fund your studies. Some students use private funding or employer sponsorship to pay for their course.

Individual Project [HNCB 1]

Unit type:Core

The ability to define, plan and undertake a project is a critical set of skills needed in various roles within the construction industry. Identifying appropriate information and analysing this, to formulate clear results or recommendations, is required tounderpin many of the processes that inform construction projects.

The aim of this unit is to support students in using and applying the knowledge and skills they have developed through other areas of their studies to complete and present an individual project. In addition, this unit will provide students with keystudy skills that will support them in further study.

Students will be able to identify, define, plan, develop and execute a successful project by working through a clear process. They will develop a project brief; outlining a problem that requires a solution, as well as a project specification, the specific requirements of which the final outcome must meet. They will research the problem, undertaking a feasibility study, and consider a range of potential solutions using critical analysis and evaluation techniques to test, select and contextualise their preferred solution. Students will provide a work and time management plan, keeping a diary of all activities, reflecting on their process and their learning throughout the project.

Civil Engineering Technology [HNCB 18]

Unit type:Specialist

This unit explores the role of professional civil engineers, their essential involvement in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure, and the key technologies they apply. The technologies and processes of civil engineering, in the development of highways, bridges, drainage systems, substructure and superstructure, are crucial to support contemporary societies.

Topics included in this unit are: earthwork activities, temporary and permanent dewatering procedures, methods and techniques used to create substructures, highways and superstructures and the common hazards, technical problems and solutions associated with modern civil engineering activities.

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to describe, analyse and evaluate modern civil engineering procedures, apply this skill and knowledge to the design of infrastructure and produce solutions to address hazards and problems encountered in civil engineering projects.

Construction Technology [HNCB 2]

Unit type:Core

The basic principles of construction technology have not changed for hundreds of years. However, the materials and techniques used to achieve these basic principles are constantly evolving; to enable the construction industry to deliver better quality buildings. Scarcity of resources and the continuing demand of more sophisticated clients, end users and other stakeholder interests, are driving the construction industry to provide buildings which facilitate enhanced environmental and energy performance, and greater flexibility, in response to ever increasing financial, environmental, legal and economic constraints.

This unit will introduce the different technological concepts used to enable the construction of building elements; from substructure to completion, by understanding the different functional characteristics and design considerations to be borne in mind when selecting the most suitable technological solution.

Topics included in this unit are: substructure, superstructure, finishes, building services and infrastructure components. On successful completion of this unit a student will be able to analyse scenarios and select the most appropriate construction technology solution.

Principles of Structural Design [HNCB 20]

Unit type:Core

Buildings, bridges, roads, and many other types of man-made structures are critical to the economic and social well-being of our societies. We rely upon these structures to provide us with suitable spaces and infrastructure to support our daily lives. This unit explores the fundamental principles of structural design, codes of practice and standards required to construct safe, effective static civil engineering structures commonly used in today’s infrastructure projects.

Topics included in this unit are: methods and techniques used to determine bending moments and shear forces in simply supported steel and reinforced concrete beams; deflection in simply supported steel beams; and axial load carrying capacity of steel and reinforced concrete columns.

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to determine and analyse forces within fixed structures and understand the fundamental concepts of structural design.

Science and Materials [HNCB 3]

Unit type:Core

Science and material performance are intrinsically linked through the need to create structures and spaces that perform in both mechanical operation and in providing human comfort.

This unit aims to support students to make material choices to achieve the desired outcomes of a brief. This is approached from the perspective of materials being fit for purpose; as defined by testing standards and properties, but also by consideration of the environmental impact and sustainability. Awareness of health & safety is considered alongside the need to meet legislative requirements.

The topics covered in this unit include: health & safety; storage and use of materials; handling, and problems associated with misuse and unprotected use; environmental and sustainable consideration in material choices; and human comfort performance parameters. Material choice is developed through the understanding of testing procedures to establish conformity to standards and define performance properties. The performance of materials to satisfy regulations and provide appropriate comfort levels is addressed through design and calculations.

Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to make informed decisions regarding material choices; based on understanding the structural behaviour of materials established through recognised testing methods, sustainability, context of build, and health & safety. Students will also be able to perform the calculations necessary to establish anticipated performance of the materials in-use and therefore determine their compliance with regulations and suitability.

Construction Practice and Management [HNCB 4]

Unit type:Core

The aim of this unit is to develop and provide students with a holistic understanding of construction practice and management processes. Students will investigate and research the modern construction industry, both from the practical skills embedded within the industry through to its linkage with development on-site and the connection with construction management; including roles within the industry.

The unit compares and investigates small, medium and large construction companies within the market place and how construction processes, for development, have evolved.

Students will also explore how health & safety has evolved within the industry, including how the major stakeholders, from companies to site operatives, have embedded health & safety into their preferred areas of development and careers. In addition, students will explore Building Information Modelling and how it fits into construction processes/sequences ranging from domestic to large-scale and design and build projects.

The knowledge from this unit will provide students with the understanding of modern construction and management; the skills, management of people and projects, and how health & safety have changed the perception of the construction industry.

Construction Information (Drawing, Detailing, Specification) [HNCB 6]

Unit type:Core

To achieve successful projects in the built environment requires a range of different types of information: to describe the project, quantify the materials, provide clear instructions for assembly and erection, and to allow for accurate costing and management. Throughout the process of design, construction and post-occupancy management, information is critical.

Through this unit students will develop their awareness of different types of construction information and their uses in the process. Students will engage in the production, reading and editing of construction information, in order to understand how this information informs different stages of the process. Using industry standard tools and systems, students will consider the ways that information may be shared and, through this, the value of collaboration in the information process.

Mathematics for Construction [HNCB 8]

Unit type:Core

The aim of this unit is to develop students’ skills in the mathematical principles and theories that underpin the civil engineering and building services curriculum. Students will be introduced to mathematical methods and statistical techniques in order to analyse and solve problems within a construction engineering context.

Topics included in this unit are: dimensional analysis, arithmetic and geometric progressions wave and vector functions, differential and integral calculus, binomial and normal distribution, sinusoidal waves, and trigonometric and hyperbolic identities, among other topics.

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to employ mathematical methods within a variety of contextualised examples, interpret data using statistical techniques, and use analytical and computational methods to evaluate and solve engineering construction problems. Therefore, they will also gain crucial employability skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, analysis, reasoning, and data interpretation.